How did I end up in Montana? I was lucky, I guess.

Menu

Self Promotion or Self-Aggrandizement?

I decided, after several suggestions from friends, to start an Etsy shop. It isn’t a big deal–I just listed a few extra knit items I have and the lip balm I make. I’m really not convinced my stuff is actually good enough to charge people money for it. When friends and family say they like my things, I always assume they are just being nice.

I have trouble setting prices. As anyone who knits knows, if I actually charged for my time and materials, no one would buy my knits due to the cost. I recently listed a baby tunic in my store. This one piece took me two years to complete because I struggled with the lace pattern, the small needles and the lightweight yarn–it wasn’t something I could do with other people in the room, or with regular interruptions–I had to count stitches! I kept putting it aside and coming back to it. I probably made and remade the thing 6 separate times. If I used minimum wage to determine the price, not even including materials, the cost would be in the hundreds.

The million dollar baby tunic

Last week I was asked specifically to make something for a friend, and I did–so why did I feel ashamed specifying a price? She didn’t seem to think what I asked was too much. Other items are relatively easy to make, so I feel stupid charging people because they could seriously make them themselves. Yet my sister-in-law says that even if they could, not everyone would, which is why a pair of boot cuffs (that take about 2 hours to make) sell for $20-30…and people actually pay that.

I had a conversation with a friend this weekend about how hard it is for me (and her) to self-promote. She has to as part of her job, so she’s learned, as she says, “to fake it to make it”. However, I am definitely passive aggressive in my approach (writing a blog post about it? Soooo passive aggressive!). I’m confident in other areas of my life, so why am I having such a hard time with this? Other people sell their crafts regularly, and I don’t think anything of it, so why do I care so much? Is it a Midwest thing to feel like promoting myself is actually self-aggrandizement? (By the way, I would never mark my own post as “super-awesome”–why is this even an option, WordPress?) Since I am trying to work through this, I am going to go ahead and link this post to my Etsy store, SixthStreetKnits. And blush while I do it.

Post navigation

4 thoughts on “Self Promotion or Self-Aggrandizement?”

Two thoughts, Jenny. Keep promoting yourself! I struggle with it, too. And-I’m so glad you are blogging again-I love reading your writing. Oh, yeah, one more thought–keep being inspiring, you etsy city counciling community garden teacher bad-ass!

i wouldn’t buy it if I didn’t like it. nor would I blow smoke up your ass. as for what to charge, at MINIMUM, you need to cover your material costs. beyond that, it’s a passion for you. what the harm in just putting it out there. see if someone bites! I LOVE YOUR STUFF. and your passion and love shines through in your products. be proud of it. xoxo

Montana

Odds & Ends

Teaching

Kindly do not use or copy any of my photos without my permission. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (photography and writing) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to loverj and From MIchigan to Montana with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Thank you for being considerate!